Spoon’s been on a second wind of promotion lately in support of their newest LP, Transference. In between opening slots for Arcade Fire at Philadelphia’s Mann Center and New York’s Madison Square Garden, the band found time to record this performance for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Initially I was disappointed: I found “Nobody Gets Me But You” to be not only one of the low-lights of Transference but one of the weakest tracks in the band’s entire catalogue. Surprisingly though, the song hangs together much better in a live setting making for a wonderfully eclectic late night performance.
On record, “Nobody Gets Me But You” falls flat. Spoon’s more unsung post-punk/art-school/krautrock influences are at work (the band’s name is a reference to a Can song) and while the track’s rigid synths, guitar work, and percussion are in line with the sound they’re going for, the recording finds most of these elements sounding rather lifeless. Parts often sound too removed and distant and while Britt Daniel turns in his usual spirited vocal performance, it ends up feeling like he’s dragging the rest of the song with him. Many of Transference’s recordings used straight-to-tape demo takes that gave the album a very alive and immediate sound to it so it’s worth noting that in one of the few instances on the album where they strayed from that technique, it backfired.
On this live take however, everything clicks into place. The tempo is kicked up just a few notches and the addition of The Roots’ ?uestlove and Owen Biddle on auxiliary percussion and a second bass guitar give the song the locked groove Spoon were probably originally going for instead of the lifeless dirge they ended up with. Really though, it’s Daniel’s guitar and vocal work that make the take. Live, the vocals and guitar are pushed up front and on top of all that rhythm instead of drowning behind it.
One last amusing observation: visually speaking, Spoon seemed to play their stage presence to the post-punk part. Most of the band looks as cool and detached and rigid as the beat is supposed to be. They even got ?uestlove to play robotically along. Take a look at drummer Jim Eno though. That big smile on his face - he knows this was great.
Transference is available now on Merge Records.
